خُذْ من شبابِكَ صفوَ العيش مبتدِراً

خُذْ من شبابِكَ صفوَ العيش مبتدِراً

فقد أتاكَ نذيرُ الشَّيْبِ يبتَدِرُ

فقد أتاكَ نذيرُ الشَّيْبِ يبتَدِرُ

Hasten to take life's pure delight from your youth;

Take in your youth the finest living has to offer,

For the herald of gray hair has come to you in haste.

For the harbinger of gray hair comes to warn you.

واستوفِ حظَّكَ منهُ قبل فُرقَتِه

واستوفِ حظَّكَ منهُ قبل فُرقَتِه

بحيثُ لا أثَرٌ يبقَى ولا خَبَرُ

بحيثُ لا أثَرٌ يبقَى ولا خَبَرُ

And take your full share of it before it departs,

Receive your share of joy before parting comes,

Leaving neither trace nor tidings behind.

So that no trace or story remains thereafter.

بقيَّةٌ من شَبابٍ بانَ أكثرُهُ

بقيَّةٌ من شَبابٍ بانَ أكثرُهُ

كأنَّهُ ليلُ وَصْلٍ كادَ ينحَسِرُ

كأنَّهُ ليلُ وَصْلٍ كادَ ينحَسِرُ

A remnant of youth, most of which has gone,

What remains of one's youth soon disappears,

As though it were a night of union about to fade.

As if it were a night of union about to end.

فاعرِفْ لها حقَّها واشدَدْ يديكَ بها

فاعرِفْ لها حقَّها واشدَدْ يديكَ بها

فإنّهُ الصفْوُ يأتي بعدَهُ الكَدَرُ

فإنّهُ الصفْوُ يأتي بعدَهُ الكَدَرُ

So acknowledge its due and clasp it tightly with both hands;

Know its rights and hold fast to it tightly,

For unclouded joy is followed by distress.

For purity comes next and then bitterness.